Aubrey Paschal ( She/Her )
Degrees:
- University of Florida,Bachelor of Science in Psychology (2020)
- University of Northern Iowa, Masters of Arts Psychology, Social Emphasis (2023)
- Carleton University, Doctor of Philosophy in Legal Studies (expected 2029)
Social Media:
Bio: Aubrey is PhD student in the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University, working under the supervision of Dr. Evelyn Maeder. As an undergraduate psychology student at the University of Florida, she developed a research interest in the intersection of psychology and law, focusing on issues of discrimination within the legal system. This focus carried into her M.A. in social psychology at the University of Northern Iowa, where her thesis explored the influence of honor culture ideology on juror decision-making. Following graduation, she served as a research technician and research implementation coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Interpersonal Violence Lab, focusing on human trafficking prevention. Her current research projects include studying the effects of extralegal factors on juror decision-making and legal decision-making in NCRMD cases.
Research Interests:
- The role of bias in juror decision-making, including bias pertaining to race, gender, mental illness, etc.
- NCRMD/NGRI cases
- How individual juror characteristics impact individual decision-making and jury deliberation
Supervisor’s Name: Dr. Evelyn Maeder
Publications:
Dalla, R. L., Edwards, K. M., Stadler, J., Nessa, S., Olson, S., Paschal, A. K., Wheeler, L. A., Rentschler, J., Nutting, A, Ray, C.M., Thorne, R., Helpingstine, C. (2026). Creating a youth sex trafficking prevention curriculum using CBPAR: Challenges, successes, and lessons learned. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse (Special Issue: Research, Treatment & Program Innovations for Sexual Victimization Across the Lifespan). https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2026.2621337
Edwards, K. M., Dalla, R. L., Wheeler, L. A., Rentschler, J., Kang, J. S., Bryson, G. D., Paschal, A. K., Ray, C. M., Nutting, A., Thorne, E., & Helpingstine, C. (2026). Mixed methodological pilot evaluation of a program to prevent commercial sexual exploitation of high school youth. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse (Special Issue: Research, Treatment & Program Innovations for Sexual Victimization Across the Lifespan). https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2026.2681215
Dalla, R. L., Edwards, K. M., Stalder, J., Nessa, S., Paschal, A. K., Wolter, L., Adams, D., Olson, S., Wheeler, L., & Farhan, L. (2026). When prevention science meets politics: A case study of macrosystem barriers to school-based CSEC prevention. Frontiers in Psychiatry (Special Issue: Intersections of Mental Health, Poverty, and Trafficking: A Syndemic Approach to Exploitation and Structural Violence). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1876001
Edwards, K. M., Dalla, R. L., Wheeler, L. A., Rentschler, J., Bryson, G. D., Kang, J. S., Paschal, A. K., Thorne, E., Ray, C. M., & Nutting, A. (in press). School personnel as partners in the prevention of sex trafficking: A cross-sectional survey study. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse (Special Issue: Research, Treatment & Program Innovations for Sexual Victimization Across the Lifespan).
Selected Presentations:
Paschal, A. K., Cheng, J., Maeder, E.M. (2026, June 4 – 6) The Influence of Honour Culture Ideology on Juror Decision Making [Poster presentation]. 87thAnnual Canadian Psychological Association Conference, Montreal, QC, CA.
Paschal, A. K. (2026, April 30,) Does crime severity matter? U.S. mock juror perceptions and verdict outcomes in not guilty by reason of insanity cases [Conference presentation]. Carleton University 19th Annual Graduate Legal Studies Association Conference, Ottawa, ON, CA.
Edwards, K. M., Dalla, R. L., Wheeler, L., Rentschler, J., Bryson, G. D., Kang, J. S., Paschal, A. K., Thorne, E., Ray, C. M., & Nutting, A.(2025, September 15-17). Frequency and correlates of school personnel’s attitudes and intended actions to prevent sex trafficking of high school youth [Paper presentation]. 44th Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse Conference, Orlando, FL.
Edwards, K. M., Wheeler, L. A., Rentschler, J., Nutting, A., Paschal, A. K., Thorne, E., & Ray, C. M. (2025, September 15-17). Foundations of evaluation research for primary prevention of child sexual abuse (part B) [Workshop]. 44th Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse Conference, Orlando, FL.
Dalla, R. L., Edwards, K. M., Stadler, J., Nessa, S., Olson, S., Paschal, A. K., Wheeler, L. A., Rentschler, J., Ray, C. M., Thorne, E., Ertl, A., Helpingstine, C., & Nutting, A. (2025, April 6-8). Co-creating knowledge in the prevention of youth sex trafficking: Challenges, successes and lessons learned [Paper presentation]. ResilienceCon, Nashville, TN.
Edwards, K. M., Dalla, R., Wheeler, A., Rentschler, J., Nutting, A, Bryson, G., & Paschal, A.K., (2024, November 13-16). Evaluation of a Program to Prevent Sex Trafficking among Youth. In Kulig, T. (Chair). Innovations in Human Trafficking Research—Part 2: A Focus on Sex Trafficking [Symposium]. 79th Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Nutting, A., Paschal, A.K., Chavez, A., Edwards, K. M., Dalla, R., & Wheeler, L. (2024, September 18- 20). Voices of Midwest youth: A mixed methods program evaluation centering high school student’s reflections & impact from participating in a human trafficking prevention education program [Conference presentation]. 21st Annual International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference, Virtual.
Paschal, A. K., Washington, D., Harton, H. C. (2023, April 22). The effectiveness of value-consistent framings on Conservatives’ and Liberals’ attitudes [Poster presentation]. Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago, IL, USA.
Paschal, A. K., Cheng, J. (2023, March 17). Juror decision making: The influence of defendants mental illness, and severity of crime [Poster presentation]. American Psychology and Law Society Conference, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Paschal, A. K., Sheetal Singh, R., Harton, H. C. (2022, April 21 – 23). Liberals and conservatives: Can framing change their prejudices? [Poster presentation]. Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago, IL, USA.
Selected Scholarships & Awards
Governor’s Outstanding Anti-Trafficking Service Award, presented by Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking, 2026
Carleton University, International Doctoral Tuition Support 2025-2030
Carleton University, Faculty of Public and Global Affairs Scholarship, 2025-2029
University of Northern Iowa, Graduate College Tuition Scholarship, 2023
University of Northern Iowa, Intercollegiate Academic Fund for Research, 2021 – 2023
The State of Florida, Florida Academic Scholars Scholarship, 2016-2020